'Schizophrenia postdrome': a study of low-level psychotic experience after remission of first-episode schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND

Despite remission being the primary objective following the first episode of schizophrenia, clinically stabilized patients nevertheless relapse.

AIM

To assess the extent and fluctuation of low-level psychotic symptoms in patients who are in remission after first-episode schizophrenia and consider whether this is equivalent to symptomatology experienced by those at 'ultra high risk' (UHR) of developing first-episode psychosis.

METHODS

We examined the phenomenological characteristics of 11 patients who fulfilled international remission criteria using the Structured Interview for Prodromal Symptoms and compared this cohort with an UHR sample.

RESULTS

Remitted patients were experiencing attenuated positive symptoms (73%) and brief limited intermittent psychotic symptoms (18%), features that were similarly prevalent in the UHR group. There was no significant fluctuation in these low-level symptoms over the course of four interviews.

CONCLUSIONS

Although further research is required in this novel field, such features could form the building blocks for better prediction of psychotic relapse.